I knew this day was going to come, due to his advanced age and the fact that it had been a while since he had appeared in a film (his final appearance was a wonderful supporting role in Jeff Nichols’s Mud), but it’s still pains me to say goodbye to Joe Don Baker.
As a fan of grindhouse cinema, as a fan of the classic Bond films, as a fan of Texas actors, and as a fellow graduate of UNT who used to enjoy eating at that Denton Whataburger that had his picture painted on the wall, I will have a special place in my heart for Joe Don Baker and the entertaining, if often ridiculous, films that he made.
He was 89 years old when he was passed away on May 7th. They don’t make ’em like Joe Don anymore.
Here he is in 1973’s Walking Tall, enforcing justice with a big stick.
Rest in peace. I’ll be watching Mitchell in your memory.
Through the Shattered Lens 
FIRST BRUCE GLOVER GRADY IN WALKING TALL AND MR WINT IN DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER AND NOW THE BEST BUFORD PUSSER.
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“I know this day was going to come …” … but VERY sad nevertheless: he starred in THREE (actually 4) of my favouite movies in a row (!): CHARLEY VARRICK, WALKING TALL, THE OUTFIT and FRAMED (the last is the least of those 4, but still highly entetaining) and I really hoped he´d be here “forwever”, but well … time takes its toll.
Big sigh. :-(((
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He was so great in “Walking Tall”, plus a terrific bad guy in “Charley Carrick” and some fun comic relief for 007 as well…RIP
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And check out THE OUTFIT, he was a “good guy” there (gangster, paired with the always magnificent Robert Duvall).
Gene Hackman is also gone. 😦
So who´s left (from that era)? Eastwood, Robert Duvall, … ? (they´re all 90+ now). Any others???
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I own that DVD and will pull it out to watch again tonight…yes, we are losing so many of the greats: Duvall, Eastwood, Pacino, Nicholson all in the late 80’s – 90’s to be sure…a generation I grew up on!
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Yes, same here: also the generation of actors I grew up with. Sad to see them go, very sad. Jack´s 88, Eastwood whopping 95. I hophe he can still do a movie or two (get the financing), coze me thinks work keeps him alive. Pacino is the youngest at 85 and Duvall is second to Clint with 94, but no movie for 3 years, sigh.
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